Abstract: A camera includes a release button, an input unit, an A/D converter, a memory, a control unit, an alarm, a recording unit and an output unit. The memory stores data for the image converted by the A/D converter. The control unit judges whether or not the image stored in the memory satisfies a predetermined photographing condition and outputs a timing signal when the image satisfies the photographing condition. The alarm outputs an alarm signal to a photographer. The recording unit records the refined image on a recording medium. The output unit outputs the refined image.

Abstract: An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for recording image information corresponding only to a predetermined area at a given position in an image display device. An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for zooming in electrically an image in a predetermined area at an arbitrarily chosen given position and displaying the zoomed image in an image display device.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention a camera system is provided having an image capture system adapted to capture an image of a scene during an image capture sequence and an eye monitoring system adapted to determine eye information including a direction of the gaze of an eye of a user of the camera system. A controller is adapted to store the determined eye information including information characterizing eye gaze direction during the image capture sequence and to associate the stored eye information with the scene image.

Abstract: Disclosed is an eye-start system that includes a light source adapted to be housed within a viewfinder of a device, and a light sensor also adapted to be housed within the device viewfinder, the light sensor being configured to sense light from the light source that reflects off of a user looking into the viewfinder. With this system, light reflected off of the user is sensed by the light sensor and, upon such an occurrence, a device action is activated.

Abstract: A client-server arrangement for camera viewing using digital cameras across a computer network. A camera server controls a motorized gimbal which determines the viewing angles of a set of cameras according to signals from a client computer which is equipped with an eye movement tracking system. Movements of the viewer's eyes result in changes in viewing angle of the remote cameras. A high resolution foveal field of view image centered on the user's point of interest is captured and overlaid on a lower resolution full filed of view image, rendering a combined image having a low resolution peripheral area and a high resolution foveal area, and being significantly reduced in size compared to a full resolution, full field of view image. This combined image is transmitted to the client for display to the user.

Abstract: A system for capturing an image when an amount of sclera is visible in a preview image comprises a photosensor configured to detect an image, a memory configured to store at least a sclera setting, a processor configured to determine when at least one face is present in the detected image and further configured to determine an amount of sclera present in the face so that the determined amount of sclera is compared to the sclera setting, and an actuator configured to initiate capture of the detected image such that the detected image is captured when the determined amount of sclera is at least equal to the sclera setting.

Abstract: An object detecting apparatus according to the present invention has: an image sensor capturing a plurality of object images in time sequence; a first detection start signal generator generating a signal to start detection of an object, included in a first area, of the object images captured by the image sensor; a first detector detecting a characteristic of the object included in the first area in response to the signal from the first detection start signal generator; and a second detector detecting an object similar to the characteristic detected by the first detector, within a second area larger than the first area. Consequently, even when a moving object is shot, the user can take a picture intended by him only by determining the composition so that the main object is roughly followed.

Abstract: In an image receiving apparatus, a command for operating a camera is detected on the screen of a monitor on which an image formed by the camera is displayed. The detected camera operating command is recognized and a camera control command is formed on the basis of the recognized camera operating command to be transmitted to an image transmitting apparatus.

Abstract: A camera apparatus including a camera unit which acquires an image, a line-of-sight detection unit which detects a point of eye fixation of a user within a camera screen, and an importance computation unit which determines levels of importance for respective areas of the image acquired by the camera unit in accordance with the detection by the line-of-sight detection unit. Also included is a number-of-gray-scale-level determining unit which changes a number of gray scale levels for the respective areas of the image in response to the determination by the importance computation unit.

Abstract: The zoom speed of a zoom function is detected by a zoom lever detection circuit. A sensed image is displayed on a monitor, and a desired partial region in that sensed image is designated using a region designation lever. A compression circuit compresses the designated region and a non-designated region using different characteristics. A region detector controls the designated region on the basis of the detected zoom speed. In another arrangement, enlargement/reduction zoom operation by a zoom function is executed by a zoom lever. A sensed image is displayed on a monitor, and a desired partial region in that sensed image is designated using a region designation lever. A compression circuit compresses the designated region and a non-designated region using different characteristics. A region detector controls the designated region on the basis of the zoom operation.

Abstract: An iris identifying apparatus includes an optical-axis aligning section which aligns the line of sight of a target person to be picked up, who views a guide light through a view window, with the optical axis of an image pickup device that picks up the eye of the target person. The optical-axis aligning section flickers the guide light and guides the line of sight of the target person to the guide light, and turns on the guide light when the image picked up by the image pickup device comes into focus, thereby notifying the target person of the eye having entered the image pickup distance.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a focus position for a digital still camera allows a user to take a picture with a certain focused position by moving a focus to a desirable position of the subject. The apparatus comprises a display unit for displaying an image corresponding to a mark representing the focus position, a switch unit and a touch screen for moving the mark on the display unit. The touch screen covers an active area of the display unit. The apparatus further comprises a focus controller for controlling to focus on a position of the subject corresponding the mark moved by the switch or the touch screen.

Abstract: A system controller controls a solid-state image sensor, and performs read-out at a predetermined subsampling ratio. In the event that the size of the image-taking area and the subsampling ratio do not agree, the system controller executes image size conversion processing with a digital processing unit, and converts the image size to an image size corresponding to a request from a peripheral device unit. Also, the system controller performs changing of the image-taking area following ending of the reading out from the solid-state image sensor, thereby obtaining normal frame signals. Accordingly, even in the event that zooming is performed by changing the subsampling ratio, zooming operations can be performed with an arbitrary zooming ratio, and reading out of the image-taking information is made to be suitable.

Abstract: A video camera system having a camera (128) and an interchangeable lens assembly (127) attachable to and detachable from the camera. A distance measurement frame is set by a distance measurement frame controller (129) on photographer's line-of-sight position information detected by line-of-sight detecting units (135 to 140), and a focal-point evaluation value is extracted by an AF signal processing circuit (113) from an image signal corresponding to the distance measurement frame. The line-of-sight position information, focal-length evaluation value, etc, are transmitted to the lens assembly (127). A zoom lens (102) and focusing lens (105) are controlled by the lens assembly (127).

Abstract: When a region of interest of an image is compressed with high quality by an image sensing apparatus, such as a digital camera or the like, the region of interest (ROI) can be compressed by a compression coefficient different from that of other regions of the image according to the so-called JPEG 2000 method. However, setting the ROI is a complicated operation for a user. In the present invention, when a continuous photographing mode is not set, a single image sensing operation is assumed and the ROI is automatically set in a first region, which is the largest of three regions. Whereas in the continuous photographing mode, if a low-speed mode is set, the ROI is set in a second region smaller than the first region, and if a high-speed mode is set, the ROI is set in a third region, which is the smallest.

Abstract: A finder apparatus which is used together with a photographing apparatus presents a marker for positioning for setting relative positions of the photographing apparatus and an object for calibration so as to be visually recognizable by an operator in a finder configured to present an image of a subject so as to be visually recognizable by the operator, when photographing the object for calibration including at least one of a known shape and a known surface attribute in order to acquire parameters of a photographing optical system of the photographing apparatus.

Abstract: When a subject is imaged for the purpose of deciding the angle of view, the full image that is capable of being sensed by a CCD is displayed on an LCD. The user designates the position of a cropping area in the image being displayed. Only image data representing the image within the border of the designated area is recorded on a memory card. Since the amount of image data to be recorded on the memory card is thus reduced, image data representing images of a greater number of frames can be recorded on the memory card.

Abstract: A display system and method that implements a customizable menu using levels of abstraction. The display system and method may be advantageously employed in digital cameras, and the like. The present invention provides for the display and abstraction of a customizable menu that allows more or fewer actions to take place with a single initiated action.

Abstract: A digital imaging device detects or tracks a user's direction of gaze. The detected direction of gaze may be used to set one or more functions in the digital imaging device, and the history of the user's direction of gaze may be stored with a captured digital image for later use by an automatic image post-processing apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is an eye-start system that includes a light source adapted to be housed within a viewfinder of a device, and a light sensor also adapted to be housed within the device viewfinder, the light sensor being configured to sense light from the light source that reflects off of a user looking into the viewfinder. With this system, light reflected off of the user is sensed by the light sensor and, upon such an occurrence, a device action is activated.

Abstract: The image of a subject is displayed on a display screen of a liquid crystal display device provided on the back side of a digital camera. An assistance frame is displayed in a form superimposed on the image of the subject and the composition of a photograph to be obtained by shooting the subject is decided based upon the assistance frame. As the user decides the composition of a photograph in accordance with the assistance frame, the user acquires a well-balanced photographic technique.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera apparatus which can reduce processing time by simplifying image processing in areas of small importance and by taking advantage of the fact that the image data is acquired by a camera.

Abstract: A digital camera of the invention has an LCD and an EVF. In a third display mode, a whole image is displayed on the LCD, a frame is displayed in the central area, and an image in the central area (within the frame) is enlargedly displayed on the EVF. An enlarged display icon is displayed on the LCD to thereby notify the user of the enlarged display on the EVF. The image capturing range can be confirmed on the LCD, and automatic focusing is performed on the basis of the image in the central area, so that focus can be also confirmed on the EVF. Consequently, according to the invention, both the image capturing range and the focus can be confirmed in the digital camera and an image can be efficiently captured.

Abstract: Disclosed is a panoramic sequence guide that can be used to guide a user in composing and capturing images to be used to create a composite panoramic image. In use, the guide tracks a viewed scene, determines the proper position of a composition guide relative to the viewed scene, and displays a composition guide on a live-view screen that provides an indication of what portion of the viewed scene is to be captured. The displayed composition guide is fixed to the viewed scene such that the guide moves with the viewed scene in the screen.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital camera that forms, on a solid state imaging device, an object image resulting from object light transmitted via a photographing optical system, to obtain image data representative of the object image, the digital camera enabling a photographer to take his or her intended photograph accurately. After a composition determining operation has been finished and before an actual photographing operation is started, an image display section displays a composition and a through image in a superimposing manner. The distance to an object is measured when the composition determining operation is performed. During the actual photographing operation, focusing is carried out in accordance with the distance measured when the composition determining operation is performed.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to realize stable autofocus operation by reducing the influence of an object which is different from a main object and exists on the periphery of a distance measurement frame on the autofocus operation. In order to achieve this object, an image sensing apparatus includes an image sensing device which generates an image sensing signal by photoelectrically converting light from an object, an extraction unit which extracts a predetermined frequency component from a signal component corresponding to a focus detection area in a frame sensed by the image sensing device, a weighting circuit which weights the predetermined frequency component extracted by the extraction unit, and a driving unit which moves a focusing lens to an in-focus position on the basis of the signal weighted by the weighting circuit.

Abstract: A small-sized photographing apparatus in which a single display device performs both of a viewfinder and monitor display. The apparatus includes a body having a viewfinder window; the display device, the display surface of which can be observed from outside of the body; a pair of reflection mirrors inside the body; and a member for moving one of the reflection mirrors between a reflection position at which a beam of light from the display surface of the display device is reflected so that the beam is guided towards the viewfinder window, and a non-reflection position which is different from the reflection position.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus of the invention is for example a video camera, which has: a solid-state image pickup device, a display which shows a scene to be confirmed by a photographer for a record, the scene shot by the solid-state image pickup device, line of sight detection section for detecting a line of sight of the photographer toward a main subject of the scene on the display, and recording section for recording the image data of a shot moving image and at least one of first information on the detected line of sight and second information on the main subject detected from the first information onto a recording medium, the image data and at least one of the first information and the second information corresponding each other. The apparatus can also has a detection section for detecting the main subject of a shot moving image.

Abstract: Motion of a user's line of sight is detected. If motion of the user's line of sight stops for a period of time greater than a fixed period of time, a shutter-release operation is performed. Image data representing the image of a subject obtained by shutter release is recorded on a memory card. This makes it possible to record image data on the memory card without pressing a shutter-release button.

Abstract: A digital camera has a plurality of shooting modes such as a day scenic shooting mode, a night scenic shooting mode and a person shooting mode and displays a composition assist frame selected from a plurality of composition assist frames on a liquid crystal monitor to assist composition. If a user sets the person shooting mode by a mode dial, one or more composition assist frames that are suitable for a person shooting are extracted from the plurality of the composition assist frames, and the user selects one of the extracted composition assist frames by a left key and a right key of a cross key. Therefore, the appropriate composition assist frame can be automatically or easily selected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital camera that prevents photographing errors attributed to an increase in sensitivity effected by reducing the recordable image size. In a digital camera that allows a high sensitivity to be set by pixel mixture, a display is provided to prevent photographing errors caused by restrictions or the like resulting from setting of a high sensitivity.

Abstract: A method for generating an enhanced compressed digital image, including the steps of: capturing a digital image; generating additional information relating to the importance of photographed subject and corresponding background regions of the digital image; compressing the digital image to form a compressed digital image; associating the additional information with the compressed digital image to generate the enhanced compressed digital image; and storing the enhanced compressed digital image in a data storage device.

Abstract: The invention makes a suitable selection from zoom modes and lens elements so thin that the thickness of each lens group can reduced, thereby slimming down a zoom lens with great thoroughness and, hence, an electronic image pickup system. The electronic image pickup system a zoom lens and an electronic image pickup device located on the image plane side of the zoom lens. The zoom lens comprises, in order from the object side, a first lens group G1 comprising two lens components and having generally negative power and a second lens group G2 comprising two lens components and having generally positive power. The focal length of the zoom lens can be varied by varying the air separation between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2. The zoom lens should satisfy at least one of conditions (a) to (n).

Abstract: The camera, which is put on a user, shoots and processes image into image data and records the same. The camera has two or more operation modes and is provided with a detector for detecting either the motion state or the physiological state of the user or both of them and a controller for selecting one mode from among the operation modes on the basis of the detection results by the detector.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus having a display device mounted rotatable about an axis on a side of the image sensing apparatus for displaying a sensed image. When the display device is folded up by the side of the image sensing apparatus, a mirror reflects an image displayed on the display device toward a finder, so that the displayed image can be seen though the finder.

Abstract: There is disclosed a VTR apparatus which can display a menu item for selecting a page and other VTR function menu items on the four corner portions in a viewfinder. These menu items have eye switch functions. When the page selection menu item is selected in the eye switch mode, a plurality of VTR function menu items are displayed on the four corner portions of the viewfinder as eye switches, and the names of these VTR functions are displayed as a list on the central field of the viewfinder.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is provided with a visual line detecting device for detecting the position of a fixation point of the eye of the operator obtained within the image plane of an electronic viewfinder which displays an image of an object of shooting, and an image processing circuit for processing and enlarging the image with the detected position of the fixation point as the center of the enlarging action.

Abstract: An electronic image display apparatus includes an image sensor arranged to obtain an electronic image, an external memory arranged to store electronic image information related to identification information which identifies a photographic film loaded in the apparatus, a reproducing circuit arranged to reproduce the identification information recorded at a magnetic information recording part of the photographic film loaded, and a display device arranged to display, on the basis of the identification information stored in the external memory and reproduction information reproduced by the reproducing circuit, the electronic image information related to the identification information. The electronic image display apparatus is thus arranged to let the user know, without fail, what picture is taken on which of films by displaying an electronic image recorded on each film, even in a case where there are many exposed or partially exposed films.

Abstract: A system controller controls a solid-state image sensor, and performs read-out at a predetermined subsampling ratio. In the event that the size of the image-taking area and the subsampling ratio do not agree, the system controller executes image size conversion processing with a digital processing unit, and converts the image size to an image size corresponding to a request from a peripheral device unit. Also, the system controller performs changing of the image-taking area following ending of the reading out from the solid-state image sensor, thereby obtaining normal frame signals. Accordingly, even in the event that zooming is performed by changing the subsampling ratio, zooming operations can be performed with an arbitrary zooming ratio, and reading out of the image-taking information is made to be suitable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device of a focal angle and distance in an iris recognition system, in which the device includes: a distance measurer for measuring a distance between a user and an iris recognition camera, and an indicator for quantitatively indicating a forward-backward distance and a right and left or up and down direction the user should move, in accordance with the distance measured by the distance measurer.

Abstract: On a screen G1 of a liquid crystal display, a digital camera displays an AF cursor for use as a focusing point. Thus, a shooter shifts the AF cursor to the portion of a subject to be focused, so as to carry out the setting. Here, when the subject is zoomed up to an enlarged screen G2 through an optical zooming operation, the AF cursor is displayed on the enlarged screen G2, following the subject. Moreover, in the case when the subject is electronically zoomed up to an enlarged screen G3, the AF cursor is also displayed on the enlarged screen G3, following the subject. Thus, even when a zooming process is carried out, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the AF cursor; thus, it becomes possible to improve the operability of the digital camera.

Abstract: In the invention, devices and a method are described by means of which it is possible to focus a camera (11) placed in a terminal (10), particularly in an image phone using radio communication, at a user of the terminal (10). The focusing of the camera (11) is implemented, e.g., by means of pattern recognition (61), whereupon the terminal (10), according to the invention, searches for the figure of an upper body (18) of the user of the terminal in the image field recorded by it. When this is located, a sub-section (62) of the section the camera (11) has stored in an image memory (64) is selected, the sub-section containing essentially the upper body of the user of the terminal. Alternatively, the camera (11) is focused, e.g., by means of electric motors, at the user or the user himself is asked to turn the terminal (10) in the required direction, e.g., with the help of indication characters transmitted on to the display of the terminal (10).

Abstract: A selection apparatus including a display unit for indicating a plurality of displays on the same screen, a line-of-sight position detecting unit for detecting a line-of-sight position of an operator on the screen, and an input unit through which the operator inputs an instruction, the input unit operating without using a line of sight. The selection apparatus also includes a control unit. When the display unit displays all of the displays on the same screen in response to an instruction input through the input unit, and the line-of-sight position detecting unit detects the line-of-sight position on any of the displays, the control unit selects the display on which the line-of-sight position has been detected. The control unit differentiates a status of display of the selected display from those of the non-selected displays. The control unit then executes the contents of the selected display.

Abstract: During photography using a digital camera, a monitor image and a frame image representing an ideal region of a main object are superimposed and displayed on a display unit. FIG. 6A shows a single person as a main object, with a frame F1 superimposed on a monitor image of the object. When this object is photographed and the image data are saved to a memory card, “large-single-person” as an object name, and two angle coordinates (x11,y11) and (x12, y12) of frame F1 as object region coordinates are associated with the image data and recorded. Thereafter, when the image data are read from the memory card and subjected to image correction, the associated and recorded object name and object region coordinates are referenced to set special correction parameters for the object region in order to accomplish image correction.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises at least image display device, a light source for illuminating the image display device, light-receiving device for receiving the light reflected from the eye of an observer, and calculation device for calculating the line of sight of the observer based on the output of the light-receiving means. At least, a part of the illuminating light from the light source is utilized as the illuminating light for illuminating the eye of the observer.

Abstract: A camera system includes a camera body and an interchangeable lens attachable to and detachable from the camera body. Within the camera body, an image signal is generated representing a picture. A prescribed signal component is extracted from the image signal, and an evaluation value relating to an imaged state of said picture is generated. For example, a focal-point evaluation value is extracted by an AF signal processing circuit from an image signal corresponding to a distance measurement frame. The distance measurement frame is set by a distance measurement frame controller by detecting the photographers line-of-sight. These evaluation values are then transmitted from the camera body to the lens assembly. In this manner, for example, a zoom lens and a focusing lens may then be controlled by the lens assembly in response to the evaluation value.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having a first area-setting circuit for setting, at an arbitrary position in a frame, an area for performing a predetermined image signal process, a second area-setting circuit for fixing the area at a predetermined position in the frame, and a control circuit arranged in such a manner that if an area setting operation of the first area-setting circuit makes an error, then the second area-setting circuit is operated.

Abstract: Disclosed is an iris identifying apparatus comprising an optical-axis aligning section which aligns the line of sight of a target person to be picked up, who views a guide light through a view window, with the optical axis of an image pickup device that picks up the eye of the target person. The optical-axis aligning section flickers the guide light and guides the line of sight of the target person to the guide light, and turns on the guide light when the image picked up by the image pickup device comes into focus, thereby notifying the target person of the eye having entered the image pickup distance.

Abstract: An iris camera module includes an image pickup optical system and a target optical system and the optical path is divided by a half mirror. An image of an iris is picked up by an image pickup element of an image pickup section. The iris image thus picked up is compared with a reference iris image stored in a storage in advance and the comparison result is output. The iris camera module has a configuration fit for a compact design. The reference iris image as a reference for comparison is stored in the storage of the comparison chip. It is thus difficult to falsify the reference iris image thereby providing a high security.

Abstract: A first frame indicating a maximum imaging visual field when a camera is panned and tilted to the respective limits is displayed on a display screen. A second frame indicative of a current imaging range is displayed at a position in the first frame which corresponds to the current imaging conditions (panning, tilting, and zooming). Panning and tilting are designated by an operation of moving the second frame, and zooming is designated by an operation of enlarging or reducing the second frame. In this way panning, tilting, and zooming of the camera are controlled in accordance with the position and the size of the second frame in the first frame. It is preferable that an image in the maximum imaging visual field be previously taken and displayed in the first frame.